July 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Hineni! Isaiah’s Call and Ours

We live in turbulent times, which is why it is so important that we put our trust in the Lord and make ourselves available for service. We have an inspiring example of this in the ancient Hebrew prophet Isaiah. There is no place where the character and commitment of the prophet are more clearly seen than when God Himself called him to ministry (Isaiah 6).

Isaiah’s call came around 740 BCE, when the kingdom of Judah stood at a crossroads. King Uzziah, who had reigned for fifty-two years, was dead. With his passing came uncertainty, fear, and the looming shadow of Assyrian aggression on the horizon.

For Isaiah, this was not just a national crisis—it was personal. He had lived and prophesied during Uzziah’s reign, warning of God’s judgment upon a people whose hearts had grown cold. Now, as political stability crumbled, so, too, did any illusion that his words had made a difference. The vineyard of Israel, as he would later describe it, was about to be trampled and laid waste (Isaiah 5:5–6).

In this moment of profound despair and seeming failure, God revealed Himself to Isaiah in a way that would forever transform the prophet’s life.

A Vision of Glory

Isaiah described his extraordinary divine encounter as follows: “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple” (Isaiah 6:1).

Amid earthly loss and uncertainty, Isaiah was granted a glimpse of the true King who would never die, seated on His eternal throne, lifted above all others in the heavens. 

The terms used to describe God’s posture are “high and lifted up,” which also match the prophet’s description of the Messiah in Isaiah 52:13, “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” These words offer a further hint of the divine nature of the coming Servant of the Lord.

The imagery is striking as the train of God’s robe filled the entire Temple. This vision provides our first glimpse into the heart of Isaiah’s message—amid human frailty and failing kingdoms, God’s sovereign rule remains unshaken and all-encompassing.

Above this throne were the seraphim, fiery angelic beings whose very name recalls the “fiery serpents” of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Numbers 21:4–9). Their thunderous chorus echoed through the Temple, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

The Hebrew word for “holy” (kadosh) means set apart. Three times, the seraphim declared God’s utter otherness—His complete separation from sin and creation. This repetition is not mere poetry but a profound expression of God’s triune nature, although Isaiah himself may not have fully comprehended this mystery. As the seraphim proclaimed God’s holiness, the very foundations of the Temple thresholds trembled, and smoke filled the sanctuary. 

The Cleansing of a Prophet

In the presence of this overwhelming holiness, Isaiah could only see one thing clearly—his own unworthiness, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). The Hebrew word for “ruined” (damah) means utterly destroyed. Isaiah recognized that his prophetic lips were unclean (tamey), the same term used throughout Leviticus to describe ritual impurity. 

Isaiah may have wondered how a man with unclean lips and an unclean heart could speak God’s holy word. How could he condemn Israel’s sin when he himself was so deeply flawed? Yet, God’s response to Isaiah’s confession reveals the core of the gospel message:

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven” (Isaiah 6:6–7).

The coal was not just any coal, but one taken from the altar of sacrifice—drenched in the blood of atonement. The seraph’s touch did not just cleanse Isaiah’s lips for prophetic speech. It provided comprehensive forgiveness. His iniquity was taken away, and his sin atoned for by the shed blood of the sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11).

Again, we see a foreshadowing of the Messiah. Just as Isaiah received cleansing through sacrificial blood, we receive forgiveness through the ultimate sacrifice of Yeshua (Jesus). Additionally, like Isaiah, our cleansing is not just a one-time event from years ago but a daily reality that enables us to be intimate with God and prepares us for service. 

Saying Yes to God

Encountering God’s holiness and experiencing His cleansing grace positioned Isaiah to hear God’s call: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8).

The Hebrew phrase, “Here am I” (hineni) is far more than a statement of physical presence. It is a declaration of complete availability and readiness to follow orders. Throughout Scripture, this response marks moments of profound encounter with God: Abraham said, “Hineni!” when God called him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1); Moses said it when God spoke from the burning bush (Exodus 3:4); and Samuel said it when God called him as a boy in the Temple (1 Samuel 3:4).

Each of these instances represented a turning point—a moment when ordinary people made themselves fully available to an extraordinary God. 

The Challenge of Faith

What makes Isaiah’s story so remarkable is what happened after he said, “Hineni.” Isaiah received perhaps the most discouraging commission in Scripture:

Go, and tell this people: “Keep on listening, but do not perceive; keep on looking, but do not understand.” Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed. (Isaiah 6:9–10)

God was essentially telling Isaiah he would preach, but the people would not listen, and his preaching would make their hearts harder. No wonder Isaiah responded with the anguished question: “Lord, how long?” The answer was equally devastating: “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate” (Isaiah 6:11).

The Hebrew prophet teaches us some great lessons in evangelistic patience, which is what many of us who serve with Chosen People Ministries have learned. We know that the day is coming when the Lord will turn the hearts of the Jewish nation to Jesus (Romans 11:25–29), even though we are eager and pray for our Jewish people to come to know their Messiah right now. 

The Promise of the Remnant

Even amid this dire commissioning, God offered Isaiah a glimmer of hope about a faithful remnant, “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump” (Isaiah 6:13).

This doctrine of a remnant runs throughout Scripture. The prophet predicts that even though Israel might be cut down like a tree, the stump—a faithful remnant—would remain, preserving the possibility of new growth. The apostle Paul would also later write: “In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice” (Romans 11:5).

This remnant doctrine allows us to redefine success in evangelism. We are called to faithfulness, not visible results. We proclaim the gospel to all, knowing some will reject it while others—the remnant God has prepared—will receive it. The Lord has called us to faithfully proclaim the good news and let Him bring the good result!

Our Hineni Moment

What does Isaiah’s experience mean for us today? Like him, we live in uncertain times. Like him, we may feel our witness falls on deaf ears. Like him, we are painfully aware of our own unworthiness.

Yet Isaiah’s vision offers us hope. The same commission—difficult though it may be—comes with the same promise of a remnant who will believe.

Therefore, knowing His forgiveness and in obedience to His call:

  • We preach whether people respond positively or not.
  • We preach until the opportunity is no longer available.
  • We preach, confident in God’s promise to preserve a faithful remnant for Yeshua.

We do not measure our success by visible results but by our faithfulness to the gospel. Our motivation comes not from confidence in our own abilities but from a vision of God’s glory and grace through Jesus.

Are we ready to say hineni—to be available to God and to serve Him in bringing the message of Yeshua to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16)? May we, like Isaiah, be transformed by a vision of God’s holiness, cleansed by His grace and compelled by His call to say with sincere hearts, “Hineni, send me.”

Thank you for your love, faithful support, and prayers for our global staff who call on the Lord for His holy purposes while reaching Jewish people for the Messiah.

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July 1, 2025 · 9:00 AM

How to Pray for Israel and the Jewish People

I am still reflecting on my trip to Israel last month, and I can tell you that my heart continues to break for my people. Such sadness, hopelessness, and fear! Yet, I also saw sparkles of grace throughout the land as I spent time with Israeli pastors, the Chosen People Ministries Israel staff, and a growing number of new believers trusting the Lord for answers.

Right before our group left for Israel, we heard about the tragic murder of two beautiful young Jewish people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were twenty-six and thirty respectively and working for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. Yaron was Israeli, and Sarah was his soon-to-be fiancée, a lovely American Jewish woman. They were both mercilessly gunned down by a self-proclaimed pro-Hamas terrorist who shot them point-blank as they were leaving a reception for young Jewish diplomats at the Capital Jewish Museum. 

As word of their murder made its way through the media, it was discovered that both Yaron and Sarah were Messianic Jews—Jewish believers in Jesus as Messiah. Many of our Chosen People Ministries Israel staff have ties to Yaron’s family, and Yaron was part of a Chosen People Ministries program a few years ago as well. Their deaths were taken very personally by Jewish people in the United States and, of course, in Israel.

I assumed I would find a very somber mood among the Messianic believers in the Holy Land as both pastors and congregants would be searching for comfort and trying to understand how something like this could happen, especially to believers! My assumptions were correct, and our group spent hours talking about God’s faithfulness and the mystery of His will with our young staff and those we are discipling. 

As Isaiah wrote, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8–9).

And so we trust Him through tragedy and leave the lives of our loved ones in His holy and all-powerful hands. My hope is that this senseless murder will encourage Christians to pray for the Jewish people and for Israel during these dark moments, especially as threats against God’s chosen people intensify  around the globe. 

During our brief time in Israel, we also visited some of the Israeli communities near Gaza, a short distance from the war zone. Many of these communities were destroyed by Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7, 2023. It was an incredibly emotional experience to witness the aftermath of what took place.

Despite the challenging environment, an encouraging part of the trip was taking part in Living Waters, a mentoring retreat that our ministry has hosted for the past eighteen years. I had the privilege of spending a long weekend with forty-plus young Israeli Messianic leaders who love the Lord and are eager to grow in their understanding of Scripture and service for the Messiah in Israel. The seemingly endless war and especially the deaths of multiple Messianic soldiers, and now the passing of Yaron and Sarah, made this mentoring retreat more sensitive and meaningful as most of those attending are of a similar age. On this trip, we also dedicated our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center to the Lord’s service in the Holy Land. This milestone was the fruit of many years of prayer and hard work. 

The Lord did speak to myself and all our staff amid these difficult circumstances, as He always does. We were again driven to the well-worn passage of the apostle Paul in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

A Call to Pray for the Jewish People

While acknowledging God’s sovereignty, I also urge you to pray for the Jewish people and especially for those who follow Jesus, as we need your prayers more than ever before!

The great Messianic Jewish leader, the apostle Paul, shared a deeply personal and heartfelt prayer request with the believers in Rome when he cried out, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation”(Romans 10:1). As a twenty-first-century Messianic Jewish man, I would be grateful if you would pray for the salvation of the Jewish people. 

It is also important for us to pray in agreement with the will of God, and therefore our prayers should align with Scripture. There are many passages in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament that encourage us to pray for the Jewish people and for the nation of Israel. 

Why We Should Pray for the Jewish People

Prayer leads to a deeper communion with the Lord and motivates us to pray more fervently through the Spirit about what is on the heart of God. I believe it is important that our requests to God are, as much as possible, in accordance with His will revealed in Scripture. 

The Scriptures tell us that God’s heart beats with unending love for His chosen people. In Jeremiah 31:3, the Lord declares, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” This is not a temporary affection but an eternal covenant that transcends time and circumstances. Like a mother who cannot forget her nursing child, God says in Isaiah 49:15–16, “Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

We pray because God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew (Romans 11:1–2). Despite the historic struggles of the Jewish people and the present rise of antisemitism, we know that one day God will fulfill His covenant with His chosen people. And we pray in light of the future He has prepared for Israel and the nations (Romans 11:25–29). 

Isaiah 59:20–21 prophesies that “the Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob.” This is not wishful thinking but prophetic certainty. We expect a spiritual awakening as God fulfills His promise in Ezekiel 36:24–28 to give His people a new heart and a new spirit. Zechariah 12:10 speaks of a day when “they will look on Me, whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him”—a recognition that brings redemption.

We also expect global blessing as Genesis 12:3 reminds us that, through Abraham’s descendants, all nations will be blessed. Israel will fulfill her calling to be “a light of the nations” (Isaiah 49:6). The entire world will benefit, and one day Jerusalem will become a center of worship where all people will seek the Lord (Isaiah 2:2–3).

By praying for the salvation of the Jewish people, we are praying in accord with God’s plan for world redemption!

Prayer Leads to Action

My hope is that the church would understand the significant role non-Jewish people have in God’s plan as founded on the Abrahamic promises. Gentile believers are participants in the Abrahamic covenant as spiritual descendants of the patriarch (Galatians 3:6–9). Through Christ, Gentile believers have become spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham by faith as God’s blessings have come to “those who were formerly far off” but are now one body with Jewish believers through the Jewish Messiah (Ephesians 2:13).

This will hopefully lead the body of Christ to fulfill the mandate found in Romans 1:16 and 11:14, which instructs believers to bring the gospel “to the Jew first” and to make the Jewish people jealous of the word of Messiah received by the Gentiles. We cannot allow Jewish evangelism to become the great omission of the great commission. 

As both Messianic Jews and Gentile followers of Yeshua, we are bound together through the Messiah and the shared blessings of the Abrahamic covenant. Let us then work together in unity, as partners in the gospel, until that great day when Israel will turn fully to God, and Jesus will return to reign as Messiah on His rightful throne in a renewed Jerusalem on earth. Both Jewish people and Gentiles will then rejoice in the knowledge of the Lord that will fill the earth as the waters fill the sea (Isaiah 11:9–12). 

Let us join our hearts by seeking the presence of the Lord and by beholding the beauty of His person. As the psalmist reminds us, “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).

And let us pray together for one another and for these requests:

  • The salvation of Israel
  • The return of the hostages
  • The families of Yaron and Sarah (the couple killed at the Capital Jewish Museum)
  • The global work of Your Mission to the Jewish People
  • The peace of Jerusalem and all those who live in the Holy Land and the Middle East

On behalf of the Chosen People Ministries global family, thank you for loving the Jewish people and standing with us as we reach our beloved Jewish people with the gospel message!

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June 16, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Israel’s Friends and Foes

Shalom in His grace! By the time you read this newsletter, I will be in Israel, touring, sharing the gospel, conducting a retreat with forty-five Israeli young adult congregational leaders, and dedicating our new facility in Tel Aviv! What a great opportunity to be part of building the body of believers in Israel. You have a major role in this ministry through your prayers and support. So, thank you. I know that, without your partnership, these ministries among the Jewish people throughout the globe, and especially in Israel, would be impossible!

I am sorry to say that at the time of this writing, the war continues to rage between Israel and Hamas, and hostages are still imprisoned within Gaza by evil forces. Without diminishing the profound tragedy unfolding before our eyes, this conflict sometimes reminds me of the arcade game “Whac-A-Mole;” every time we think the enemy is beaten down, they resurface and attack in unexpected ways. This reality has been deeply frustrating for Israel and for those of us who love and pray for the Jewish nation.

The challenge extends far beyond Hamas alone—it includes Iran and its numerous proxies across the region. Similarly, global antisemitism is still on the increase and sometimes dressed in anti-modern Israel garb. Just when we believe this ancient hatred has been eradicated, stereotyping and antisemitic tropes that disparage the Jewish people emerge in new forms and unexpected places.

SHIFTING TIDES OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION

Amid these challenges, we find both encouraging and concerning developments around the world. Argentina, for example, is a nation with a harsh history of antisemitism, yet it is now experiencing a remarkable transformation. When I first visited Argentina in 1976 with my Argentine Jewish wife of one year, we saw piles of antisemitic literature being sold openly at book kiosks in broad daylight! These books included The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a nineteenth-century Russian libelous tale that falsely portrays Jewish people plotting world domination. Today, however, Argentina’s 300,000 Jewish citizens (within a population of almost 30 million) find themselves with a president who has expressed interest in converting to Judaism! What a remarkable difference—a favorable “king” with no evil Haman in sight!

Conversely, we face growing concerns in regions that were once stalwart allies. For many years, the British Isles maintained strongly pro-Jewish and pro-Israel positions. Lord Arthur Balfour, best known as the author of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, expressed support for the founding of the State of Israel in the very land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He and other British political and religious leaders worked diligently to help the Jewish people establish Israel as a Jewish homeland. Much of this support was biblically based, and a love for Zion was a cherished value among most British Christians.

Yet, today, the tide has dramatically shifted. This change is even more evident in Ireland. Allow me to present some recent survey data that illustrates this concerning trend. But first, there is good news for American Christians!

AMERICAN CHRISTIANS: STANDING WITH ISRAEL

Earlier this year, Chosen People Ministries released brand-new survey results to American audiences. The survey revealed that American Christians are significantly more likely than their British counterparts to support Israel in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and the Jewish state.

The research, led by two respected US-based university professors, reveals stark differences in Christian attitudes toward Jewish people and Israel on opposite sides of the Atlantic: 42.3 percent of American Christians express support for Israel compared to just 23.6 percent of British Christians. 

“In nearly every measure, American Christians expressed stronger pro-Israel views and lower levels of antisemitism than British Christians,” explained Motti Inbari, professor of Jewish studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Inbari co-authored this groundbreaking research with Kirill Bumin, associate dean of Boston University’s Metropolitan College. Bumin added, “American Christians generally have a higher opinion of Jewish people than their British counterparts. Overall, the statistical data shows that 58.5 percent of US Christians view Jewish people favorably, compared to 50.6 percent of British Christians.”

CONCERING TRENDS IN THE UK AND IRELAND

“We are in an epidemic—even a pandemic—right now of resurging antisemitism. It is hard to imagine that the world’s oldest hatred is new again,” noted Michael Rydelnik, Vice President/Academic Dean and Professor of Jewish Studies and Bible at Moody Bible Institute, when referencing these studies at a Chosen People Ministries-sponsored event at last year’s National Religious Broadcasters convention. Many evangelical Christians in attendance at the NRB expressed surprise upon learning about this modern resurgence of antisemitism and pledged their support by affirming our Coalition against Antisemitism’s founding statement. 

You can read this wonderful statement by clicking on https://opposeantisemitism.com.

When examining specific antisemitic attitudes, the differences between the US and the UK become even more pronounced. The “dual loyalty” trope—the notion that Jewish people are more loyal to Israel than to the country they live in—remains the most widely accepted antisemitic attitude in both nations. However, 46 percent of British respondents considered this “probably true” compared to 33.6 percent of Americans.

On other sensitive issues, the disparity continues. When asked if “Jews still talk too much about what happened in the Holocaust,” 22 percent of American Christians agreed it was “probably true,” compared to 33 percent—one-third—of British Christians. Additionally, one in ten American Christians agreed that “it’s definitely not antisemitic to say that Israel does not have the right to exist,” compared to one in six British Christians.

Regarding the conflict in Gaza, 26.5 percent of American Christians believe Israel has committed genocide there, compared to a staggering 47 percent—almost half—of British Christians.

Nearly four in ten British Christians felt it was “probably true” that Israel “deliberately targets Palestinian civilians,” compared to two in ten American Christians.

Ireland 

The situation Ireland is even more concerning. According to the research, Irish Christians display antisemitic attitudes at rates three times higher than Americans. 

  • Only 11 percent of Irish Christians support Israel in the recent conflict, compared to the 45 percent siding with Palestinians. 
  • Two-thirds of Irish respondents believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.

The survey revealed that 36 percent of Irish Christians believe Jewish people have too much power in the business world, while 31 percent believe Jewish people “do not care what happens to anyone but their own kind” and are hated “because of the way they behave.” 

“Anti-Israel attitudes are ‘deeply embedded’ and ‘pervasive’ in Ireland,” said Bumin, adding that this level of prejudice is disturbing to witness in a Western democracy.

Inbari remarked that it is “like we’re living in medieval times.”

Biblically-Based Support: A Key Difference

What might explain these significant differences between the US and the UK or Ireland? Our research suggests that a deeper biblical understanding of the role of Israel and the Jewish people in God’s plan plays a crucial role. More than a quarter (27.9 percent) of American Christians said their support for Israel is positively influenced by understanding that Jesus was Jewish, whereas only 16.9 percent of British Christians acknowledged this influence. 

Nearly half of American Christians believe that God’s covenant with the Jewish people, as recorded in Genesis, still applies today, compared to just over a third of British Christians.

While the US study reveals a bit of good news, with ongoing support for Israel, we were concerned about those numbers decreasing among younger audiences. The UK results were not good news and serve as a cautionary tale for where the United States might be headed if American Christians do not sink our spiritual roots more deeply into Scripture and get more involved in actively standing against antisemitism in our communities. 

After all, the Lord said to Abram,

“And I will bless those bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3). 

These words are still true today.

A CALL TO CONTINUED PRAYER AND VIGILANCE

We are so grateful for your faithful support of Israel and the Jewish people. Your biblical understanding and compassion have made a profound difference during these challenging times. 

Your prayers, advocacy, and friendship matter tremendously to Jewish communities, both in Israel and around the world.

Yet, we must remain vigilant and continue to pray— as individuals and in our churches and congregations. The concerning trends on university campuses with pro-Hamas, anti-Israel, and anti-Jewish protests remind us that antisemitism can take root anywhere if left unchallenged. 

We cannot assume that America’s generally positive attitudes will continue without intentional effort from believers like you and me who understand God’s heart for His chosen people.

As we witness the troubling shifts in the UK and Ireland—historically “Christian” countries—let us recommit ourselves to standing firmly against antisemitism in all its forms. We must educate younger generations about the biblical and historical connections between the Old and New Testaments! 

Please, let us also remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, knowing our support for Israel reflects not only our biblical values but also our commitment to standing against hatred wherever it emerges.

The Jewish people have faced countless moments throughout history when antisemitism emerged and re-emerged in new and dangerous forms. But together, with God’s help and with committed Christians like you standing in solidarity, we can ensure that love, truth, and justice prevail.

We join the apostle Paul in his prayers,

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation” (Romans 10:1).

Thank you for being true friends of Israel, the Jewish people, and Chosen People Ministries—Your Mission to the Jewish People—during these difficult and challenging times.

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June 2, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Prophecy and Politics in the Middle East 

Shalom, in the name of the Prince of Peace—Jesus the Messiah. I am now in Israel, and we are touring the country with two busloads full of faithful prayer partners and watchmen for Jerusalem (Isaiah 62:6–7). We are also celebrating the dedication of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center. What a joyous occasion! 

The Lord is moving powerfully in the Holy Land! Young adults are coming to faith in Jesus as Messiah, and the entire body of believers, tempered by suffering, is growing by leaps and bounds. The number of people coming to the Lord is more than I have ever seen, and the maturity of leaders and congregants is remarkable. It is so true that we grow the most through adversity. 

I can also confirm that the entire nation of Israel is under incredible stress. Political tensions are virtually intolerable, and there are still dozens of hostages and hostage families who have not seen their loved ones for almost two years. 

So again, please pray for our staff, many of whom are quite young and are going through hardships that are causing them to grow up more quickly than we would wish. So many of the believers in the land are still running in and out of bomb shelters and back and forth between reserve duty in the Israel Defense Forces and civilian life. They desperately need our love, support, and, most of all, our prayers. Please join us in begging the Lord for the peace of Jerusalem by praying for the local Israeli believers and, especially, for the Israel staff of Your Mission to the Jewish People. 

PROPHECY AND POLITICS

As believers, we must also understand that today’s events were predicted in the Bible. This helps remind us that we serve a God who knows the beginning and the end and holds Israel in His covenantal grip. 

When praying for the Jewish people and for Israel, it is very helpful to understand the landscape of the modern Middle East through the eyes and words of the Jewish prophets.

The biblical prophecies about the nations surrounding Israel provide a framework for understanding current geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The prophet Zechariah speaks of Jerusalem becoming “a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples around” (Zechariah 12:2), and that there will come a time when all nations will gather against Jerusalem: “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:3). 

These verses seem to describe the current tensions with Israel as she is surrounded by nations with varying degrees of hostility. These developments, which suggest the prophetic scenario of nations gathering against Jerusalem, may very well be unfolding before our eyes.

The Bible, through the prophet Zechariah as well as Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, assures us that God will act on behalf of His chosen people Israel and prevent the nation from being destroyed. The Messiah Jesus will return in glory and majesty to rule on David’s throne and rescue His people who will recognize Him in His coming. The main text to keep in mind as you read the remainder of this president’s prayer letter is Zechariah 12:9–10:

And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.”

ESCALATING THREATS IN THE REGION

Let us take a few moments to find out the major Middle East players and assess what Israel might face today and tomorrow from her neighbors. We will look at the current Middle East through the lens of Scripture by learning more about some of Israel’s neighbors: Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Russia, Iraq, and Yemen. The escalating threats from Iran and Lebanon in particular represent a serious concern for Israel’s security for several reasons at this present moment.

Iran

Iran maintains openly hostile relations with Israel, with its leadership continuing to threaten Israel’s existence. The country actively supports armed proxies across the region, including Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Hamas, the Houthis, and various militias in Syria and Iraq. Iran’s nuclear program represents an existential threat to Israel, and Israeli leaders have repeatedly stated they will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Israel has increased cyber and intelligence operations targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and supply chains in response to these threats.

Syria

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria is now under a transitional government led by Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. It has a temporary constitution signed in March 2025, placing the country under Islamist rule. Israel continues to conduct airstrikes targeting Iranian supply lines and militia bases inside Syria. The northern border remains volatile, especially following the recent Hezbollah conflict.

Lebanon

After a devastating recent war with Israel, Lebanon formed a new government under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, aiming to implement reforms and reduce Hezbollah’s influence. However, Hezbollah, while pushed back during the 2024 war, was not eliminated. Israel continues to hold Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah’s actions. While the new Lebanese government has pledged reform, Israel remains wary and continues heavy surveillance and occasional cross-border operations.

Russia (Gog/Magog)

Russia’s continued involvement in Middle Eastern affairs, particularly its support of Iran’s nuclear program, potentially places it in a position to fulfill the prophetic role described in Ezekiel 38–39 (Gog/Magog) of leading a coalition against Israel. Russia’s threat to Israel has been evolving through its growing alignment with Iran and continued influence in Syria. Despite the fall of Assad altering some dynamics, Russia still coordinates its Israel posture in sync with Syria. While diplomatic channels remain open between Russia and Israel, especially regarding air operations over Syria, Russia’s deepening relationship with Iran poses a threat. Israel walks a careful line, avoiding open alignment with NATO to preserve its operational freedom near Russian military assets in Syria. 

Iraq (Babylon)

The prophetic significance of Babylon (modern Iraq) keeps this nation relevant and could be part of the potential end-time coalition that will gather against Israel (Jeremiah 50–51; Revelation 17–18). While Iraq does not pose as direct a threat to Israel as Iran or Syria, it remains a concern due to the presence of Iranian-backed militias operating in the country. Israel monitors these groups and has allegedly carried out covert strikes against them. Iraq’s constitutional opposition to normalization with Israel and strong pro-Palestinian public sentiment create a hostile environment. 

Yemen

Yemen represents a more complex case. The country has been embroiled in civil war since 2014, with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels controlling significant territory. The Houthis have demonstrated hostility toward Israel, particularly during the Gaza conflict. The Houthis continue to launch missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.

OUR ROLE AS JESUS FOLLOWERS IN THESE LAST DAYS

These escalating threats from nations that will rise against Israel in the end times align with biblical prophecies. This current grouping of nations hostile to Israel underscores the importance of standing with Israel, both spiritually and practically. As these prophetic scenarios potentially unfold, Israel will need support from those who understand God’s promises regarding His people. We need to pray for the Jewish people during this heart-wrenching season, especially for the hostages and for the leaders of the nation. 

We can also take some joy in knowing that the number of Israelis who follow Jesus as their Messiah is growing. For example, our Psalms of Hope Campaign, where we offer a free download of a modern Hebrew version of the Psalms, has crossed the 5,000-download mark, which is incredible. To think that so many Israelis are seeking a more intimate relationship with God through reading the Psalms is encouraging. Those who downloaded the Psalms are now one step closer to finding Jesus, who often quoted the many prophecies about Himself in the Psalms. 

After spending time with our staff for the last two weeks, I am again impressed with their love and dedication for the Lord and our Jewish people. 

We believe now is the time to reach Israelis with the gospel, as we see the storm clouds rising and the vision of the Middle East envisioned by the prophets of Israel beginning to take shape. 

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May 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Bearing Fruit Amid Conflict

Shalom in His peace. I leave for Israel in a couple of weeks to encourage the staff, share the gospel with Israelis, and lead a tour culminating in the dedication of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center.  

This has been a long time coming, and frankly, it has not been easy building out a new facility during a war! It has been a challenge to continue our regular ministries of evangelism and discipleship as well. War takes its toll on adults and children, and it is still difficult for Israelis to live in the shadow of October 7, 2023. The loss of lives, sense of security, and trust in the government, as well as the negative response of so many in the West to Israel’s defensive actions in Gaza and southern Lebanon, have caused a sense of hopelessness and fear to fall upon most Israelis.

I am personally thankful for the many Christians who have stood up and supported Israel and opposed growing global antisemitism. This causes me to be so grateful for my brothers and sisters in the Lord!

We are seeing the hearts of many in Israel more open to the Lord than before. When humanity disappoints, we tend to look to heaven for help and power to live a fruitful life, which is what is happening in Israel at this moment in history!

Jesus is the Prince of Peace, yet He was no stranger to conflict from the time of His birth onward, with a band of enemies committed to destroying Him. From the Sanhedrin to the Roman leaders of first-century Israel, Jesus faced controversy after controversy and conflict after conflict.  

Yet, Jesus did not waver in His divine purpose. He said to His disciples that He was ready to face what He knew would be certain death as it was the will of His Father and predicted in Old Testament passages like Isaiah 53. Matthew describes Jesus’s telling His disciples about that suffering, “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day” (Matthew 16:21).

Jesus was more than willing to face danger and potential harm in order to fulfill the divine plan, which called upon Him to suffer for the sins of humanity. 

He was born to die!

Isaiah predicted the Messiah’s humiliating death when he wrote, 

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4–5)

Jesus did not deserve this predicted punishment but embraced His calling, bearing our shame and enduring the very judgment for sin that we deserved. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The justice we deserved, He received, and all He earned through His perfect obedience, we received!  

He did not flinch but faced His fate with a deep sense of purpose, knowing He was ordained before the creation of the earth to be our perfect sacrifice. He is our example of how to face the dark moments of life with grace, grit, and determination.  

I see these Jesus-like traits evident in the lives of our Israel staff. For the last 600 days, they have continued in their ministries, raising their children, and bearing the loss of friends and family, and God has blessed their efforts with wonderful fruit.  

Our Israel staff have flourished spiritually post-October 7, 2023, and throughout the ensuing defensive war. The Lord is moving powerfully through them, and there is a hunger for the gospel among Israelis that goes far beyond what we see in times of peace.

We are now finishing the construction of our new Tel Aviv Messianic Center, which is two-and-a-half times the size of our current rental space. We will now have room to grow our ministries to both adults and children, which previously had limitations because of a lack of space. 

AN EXPANDED MINISTRY IN ISRAEL

Concerts

We will continue to have monthly concerts at our new center, but now we will be able to hold more than one hundred people and provide programs for the children while the adults are enjoying the worship. We regularly have Jewish seekers attend these concerts, which also support the growing Messianic music movement within Israel.

Sabbath Dinners

Our Sabbath dinners are evangelistic hubs where believers can bring their not-yet-believing friends and relatives to a warm, friendly, and delicious Sabbath meal. Many young people, including believers serving in the army, have been coming to these dinners. We usually have a speaker, testimonies, and music at these dinners as well. In the new center, we will be able to double the number of people at our Sabbath events.

Bible Studies

We have weekly Bible studies for a general group as well as studies for men and women separately. One of our past hardships was that we were not able to adequately provide a variety of levels of children’s programs, which we will now have the capacity to organize. We are so delighted about this as Israel has a young population—there are a lot of children to serve in the name of Jesus.

Public Lectures

We will now be able to offer gospel-centered topics for both believers and unbelievers in our new space. We now have room for well over one hundred individuals to come and learn about engaging topics from personal finance to child-rearing. We will also be able to provide tools to handle war-related post-traumatic stress. 

We base our public lectures on Scripture, and the topics are so relevant that many people from the community want to attend. 

Youth and Children’s Ministries

We are a family-oriented ministry, and parents enjoy bringing their children to our events. We will have room for graded children’s programs while the adults are involved in other activities at the new center. The Center enables us to expand our ministry among children and helps us better serve their parents. We have the teachers and materials, but we have not had the room—until now.

MORE AND MORE FRUIT!

I am reminded of the words of Jesus our Messiah, our master teacher, who often used everyday illustrations when talking to Jewish people in the first century. The Messiah spoke about vines, vineyards, and fruit, and in John 15, He used these well-known images to explain what it means to walk with God and have an empowered, productive, and joyful relationship with the Lord. 

He said to His disciples,

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1–2)

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4–5)

He told His disciples to focus on what is inside. The circumstances of life, both on a national and international scale, as well as in our home and family life, deeply impact us, but Jesus encourages the disciples to abide in Him to bear fruit. 

Think with me for a moment about all that Your Mission has endured in the past 131 years of service among the Jewish people. Yet today, we are more fruitful than ever! We battled through the Great Depression, two world wars, the Holocaust, the wars surrounding the establishment of the modern State of Israel, pandemics and plagues, October 7, and a myriad of terrorist attacks on Israel.  

By the grace of God, we still stand. We are reaching more Israelis and Jewish people across the globe than ever before through our evangelistic efforts, hosting networks, digital media campaigns, and one-on-one, heart-to-heart Bible studies and evangelistic conversations. 

God is good, and He will continue to bless as He promised, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8).

Thank you for your prayers, love, and generous support as we bring the gospel to Jewish people in the United States, Israel, and in 20 other countries around the world!

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May 1, 2025 · 10:00 AM

Reaching Jewish Students on College Campuses: A Call to Stand and Serve

College campuses are some of the most spiritually open places in our society. It is no exaggeration to say that many young people, including Jewish students, make life-altering decisions during these formative years. 

A STRATEGIC AND TIMELY OPPORTUNITY

The Jewish student population in the United States exceeds 400,000. New York University (NYU) alone has over 6,000 Jewish undergraduates, making it one of the largest concentrations of Jewish students outside of Israel. Columbia and Barnard College (its affiliated women’s college) are not far behind. Together, they represent a vital mission field. 

THE CRISIS ON CAMPUS: THE GROWTH OF ANTISEMITISM

In recent months, the surge in antisemitic rhetoric and incidents on college campuses has been unprecedented. In the 2023–2024 school year, the Anti-Defamation League recorded over 1,400 antisemitic events linked to higher education institutions—a fivefold increase over the previous year.1 At Columbia, Jewish students have been labeled “Zionist aggressors,” with their photos and names posted publicly. Others have found their dorm room doors vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti. One Columbia student told the press, “I’m scared to wear a Jewish star here.”2 Protesters have stormed campus buildings shouting slogans like “From the river to the sea,” which many Jewish people understand as a call for the eradication of Israel. 

At NYU, students wearing Jewish symbols have been verbally harassed, and one Jewish student was assaulted during a protest. In November, Students for Justice in Palestine organized a rally outside the Stern School of Business that blocked entrances and featured chants praising “resistance” in the name of Gaza. Some students reported being spat on. In another case, flyers were distributed accusing specific students of supporting “genocide” because they expressed pro-Israel views. These incidents have created a climate where many Jewish students feel isolated or afraid to speak. 

Despite national media attention, administrative responses have often lagged and incidents ignored, leaving Jewish students feeling abandoned. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched investigations into both NYU and Columbia. 

THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH TO JEWISH MINISTRY ON CAMPUS

For many years we have conducted a more traditional approach to Jewish ministry on campus and continue to do so, setting up book tables and trying to start spiritual conversations. God has used these efforts to impact students on campus—especially in the current environment where so many students are exhibiting antisemitic behavior. 

For example, a staff member in Boston gives the following testimony, 

In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, I felt called to stand with Jewish students. In response to the rise of antisemitism on college campuses, especially in Boston, my team and I set up book tables at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University, Northeastern, and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMASS-Amherst).

At UMASS, we set up our book table right outside of the student union, and immediately the Lord opened many conversations with Jewish students. At one time I had five Jewish students standing around my table. One student was a regular at the Hillel House [a Jewish student group with chapters nationwide], another girl was more secular, then a young Jewish kid came to join us from Long Island, NY, and finally two more Jewish students joined in — one being from Israel and the other coming from a traditional Jewish home. Each took an evangelistic pamphlet, and two left with a copy of the New Testament, which I always carry with me. 

A RESIDENTIAL MINISTRY TO JEWISH STUDENTS: THE HOUSE OF LIVING WATERS

Hostility toward Jewish students and Israel makes our ministry of on-campus presence more important than ever. The idea is simple but powerful: young adults live in community near a major campus, host regular outreach events, and form deep, personal relationships with Jewish students. In contrast to pop-up evangelism, the House of Living Waters creates stability and trust. The model has proven effective, as the following testimonies from some of the program leaders indicate! 

Henry 

House of Living Waters in the past months has seen extraordinary growth in what can only be understood as the Lord ’s provision. We had an event on the NYU campus, an interfaith Purim party, and students were engaged and desiring more events from our team. We continue to have our Sabbath dinners and Bible study, which has built up a community of believers and not-yet-believers who are excited to see the community provided through the program. We are partnering with many student groups to continue reaching the campus, engaging with students, and building a lasting community within these campuses. 

Sergey 

“So, what is House of Living Waters doing?” This was the question that two rabbis asked me at Rutgers University while we hosted a Purim event on campus. I had an amazing conversation with them about who we are and what we do on campuses, and I told them that we would love to connect in the future and maybe do something together. Please keep praying for our work in Columbia while we establish the ministry there and specifically for our upcoming events with both Jewish and non-Jewish students. 

Charlene 

House of Living Waters has seen incredible growth this school year. We are hopeful about the connections we are building at NYU, and as we launch at Columbia and even Rutgers. It has been an encouragement to see Jewish and non-Jewish students engage with us at our weekly Sabbath dinners and events. At NYU, one student leader said they were happy to partner with us given all the antisemitism and unrest that has been taking place on university campuses. As a result, Christian students are excited about connecting their Jewish friends with us, and Jewish students have shown an interest in our effort to create a community for Jewish-Christian dialogue. 

NYU, COLUMBIA, BARNARD. . . AND TO THE UTTERMOST CAMPUSES!

NYU is not only in the heart of a Jewish population center, but it also houses over twenty active Jewish student organizations. These groups represent not only strategic access points for Jewish engagement but also spiritual battlegrounds where Jewish students are searching for truth. 

Christian groups are present and active as well. At NYU, InterVarsity, CRU, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), and others have welcomed partnership with our House of Living Waters team. We are working to strengthen collaboration with these groups so they can more confidently reach out to their Jewish friends and classmates. We hope to begin a House of Living Waters program at Columbia in the fall. 

A SNAPSHOT OF OUR OUTREACH

Evangelism: The men at our current House of Living Waters program based at NYU engage students in dorms, coffee shops, and at public events. Through partnerships with CRU, InterVarsity, RUF, and others, our staff are invited into conversations with Christian students who long to reach their Jewish friends. 

Sabbath Dinners: These are the heartbeat of the program. Every week, students come for a home-cooked meal, warm conversation, and spiritual reflection. These Friday evening meals and Bible studies often lead to further questions about the Messiah and what it means to be Jewish and believe in Jesus. 

Discipleship: Those who serve as part of the House of Living Waters are often recent college graduates themselves, so this wonderful outreach program also serves as a powerful tool of training and discipleship for this next-generation team of dedicated, Jesus-focused young adults. The team members are trained in apologetics, theology, and pastoral care, with ongoing personal mentorship by more experienced Chosen People Ministries staff. 

FUTURE PLANS AND THE CALL TO MULTIPLY

We believe God is calling us to replicate the House of Living Waters in other strategic university cities: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Toronto—to name a few. Each city has a dense Jewish population and major university presence. With the success we have seen at NYU and growing relationships at Columbia and Rutgers, we are eager to build. Each participant receives a stipend each month and free housing in exchange for a year-long commitment to outreach and discipleship. Their week includes a Friday night Sabbath dinner, Bible studies, Jewish holiday celebrations, and strategic evangelism. 

Thanks for caring and for building the future of Jewish evangelism on campus together with Your Mission to the Jewish People.

  1. “Anti-Israel Activism on U.S. Campuses, 2023-2024,” ADL, updated February 7, 2025, https://www.adl.org/re-sources/report/anti-israel-activism-us-campuses-2023-2024.
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  2. Ali Bauman and Christina Fan, “Columbia University Protesters Taken into Custody after Day of Unrest on Campus,” CBS News, updated on April 18, 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/columbia-university-pro-palestinian-pro-israeli-protests/. ↩︎

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April 15, 2025 · 9:00 AM

The Resurrection of Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures

Shalom and Happy Resurrection Day!

I still remember the day when, as a young, nineteen-year-old Jewish man, I realized that Jesus was the Messiah and that He died for my sins and rose from the dead. Boy, was I surprised! 

I had a somewhat secular upbringing with elements of Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition. I knew what I should believe and observe, but my mom and dad did not believe or follow it all, and neither did I. Yet, for some reason, my parents wanted me to have a traditional bar mitzvah (coming-of-age ceremony) at the age of thirteen. 

To this day, I am grateful they made that choice because the preparation gave me a much stronger education in Jewish life and faith than most of my friends. As a Jewish believer in Jesus, having this background has been a great blessing throughout my decades of walking with the Lord. 

Before accepting Jesus as my Messiah, I was growing more and more secular every day as my peers had tremendous influence over me! I do not remember ever thinking seriously about the Jewish belief in resurrection—aside from a vague understanding that, when the Messiah comes, He would raise the dead. 

My two best friends had come to faith in Jesus and challenged me to believe as well. I began reading the Hebrew Scriptures, but only to challenge their new-found faith. I considered belief in Jesus to be quite unkosher, but I found that “my Bible” spoke to my heart, so I asked God to show me the truth. Most importantly, I asked God, “How do I get to You? Show me the way.” 

That evening, the Lord gave me exactly what I needed. By God’s grace, I found a New Testament in the most extraordinary way—in a phone booth in the middle of the redwood forest in Northern California, where I was working as a camp counselor for an outdoor education program. I read through the Gospels and discovered a Jewish Jesus who fulfilled the Old Testament Messianic prophecies and hope of the Jewish people—and a big part of that involved His resurrection. I believed the gospel—that Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead, conquering death. 

Further, since Jesus rose, I will, one day, rise as well! It is a glorious hope, and if we need anything today in this world, it is hope. My hope is built upon His rising from the dead, and it endures the most difficult circumstances. I cannot wait to see Him face to face! 

As Paul so eloquently wrote in his introduction to his epistle to the Romans: 

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 1:1–4, emphasis added) 

I fervently pray that my Jewish family and community will recognize that resurrection is a very Jewish belief, and it should not be strange for a Jewish person to believe the Messiah would rise from the dead. 

There is a group of Jewish people called the Lubavitch Hasidim who believe their rebbe, who died decades ago, will, one day, rise from the grave. They even base this view on Isaiah 53! Though I know this is a minority position, it still gives me hope that my Jewish people can be persuaded of the magnificent truth of the resurrection.

RESURRECTION IN SCRIPTURE

Let us briefly walk through Scripture, and maybe you will have the opportunity to share these passages with a Jewish friend during this wonderful resurrection season. 

First, we learn from the apostle Paul’s chapter on the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15, that Jesus’ resurrection was predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures: 

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1–4, emphasis added) 

We might ask where the resurrection of the Messiah was predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures, as Paul proclaims. We can turn to one of the most well-known prophecies about the Messiah in Isaiah 53: 

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:8–9, emphasis added) 

This passage is important, as the Servant of the Lord must have died to rise, of course! Isaiah’s words in the final verse of this chapter speak clearly of the Messiah’s death for our sins: “Because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). 

Old Testament prophecy predicted Messiah’s suffering and death for the sins of the Jewish people and the nations, as well as His resurrection. Isaiah wrote: 

But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10) 

We also see the hope of the resurrection predicted in the Psalms, where King David spoke prophetically. In Psalm 16, David referred to the afterlife: 

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:10–11) 

This passage refers to someone greater than King David. The Jewish apostle Peter confirmed that David was speaking about the risen Messiah: 

Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. (Acts 2:29–31, emphasis added)

Immediately after quoting from Psalm 16, Peter proclaimed the promise of the resurrection once again through the mouth of King David by quoting another of his psalms, “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet’” (Psalm 110:1). 

The Lord of King David is, of course, Jesus—the Messiah and the greater Son of David! 

There is another prophecy of Messiah’s resurrection that is more of a prophetic picture of a future event than an explicit prophecy. In the Passover story, the smeared blood of the perfect lamb during the first Passover in Egypt points to a greater “Lamb of God” and a more powerful redemption from the bondage of sin: “ For Christ our Passover [lamb] also has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). 

Paul also envisioned a prophetic picture of Messiah’s resurrection embedded in the Festival of First Fruits. 

Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, “When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.” (Leviticus 23:10–11) 

Paul linked the waving of the sheaf of grain (the first fruit) from this festival mentioned in Leviticus, which takes place on the day after the Sabbath—Sunday. Therefore, this picture of the Festival of First Fruits alludes to the Passion, when Jesus died as the Lamb of God and rose as the first fruits of the coming resurrection. He was the first to rise, and all those who accept Him as their Savior will follow. 

Paul, a well-trained first-century Pharisee, understood these parallels and pointed them out under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, especially to his Jewish readers. 

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. (1 Corinthians 15:20–23, emphasis added) 

If Jesus died on a Friday and rose on a Sunday, then the resurrection may well have happened on the Festival of First Fruits. 

With so much written in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Jewish people should have been expecting the atoning death and resurrection of the Messiah. We have the joy of reminding our Jewish friends and family of the Jewishness of the resurrection and that Jesus perfectly fulfills these predictions. 

May the Lord fill you with His power and hope, and please pray for the Jewish people during this Passover and Easter season. The Jewish people desperately need hope in this post-October 7 environment. 

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April 1, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Passover: Holding On to Hope

There is just something about Passover that brings hope to the Jewish soul. Maybe it is because the entire Passover service looks forward to a greater day of redemption.

Throughout the Passover Seder (ritual meal), we are reminded of that dramatic moment when God, through Moses, commanded each Israelite family in Egypt to take an unblemished lamb, slaughter the animal, and apply its blood to the doorpost of their home. According to Exodus 12:1–13, those who obeyed the Lord and smeared the blood on their doorposts would be spared from the Lord slaying their firstborn sons.

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)

During today’s Passover meal, we raise the shank bone of a lamb as a symbol of the slain lamb. Jewish people throughout the ages acknowledge this historic act of redemption and look forward to an even greater day and more robust culmination of this prophetic pattern.

Passover is a celebration of hope in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who will never allow His chosen people to be destroyed. The Passover points us forward and annually reminds us of the God who parted the sea and led the Jewish people through forty years of wilderness wanderings.

Today, we also reflect upon a modern miracle—that this same God, after centuries of dispersion, has been bringing the children of Israel back to the Promised Land. He will not allow His chosen people to remain separated from the Land of Israel (Genesis 15:18–21) as He is a promise-keeping God who spoke through the prophet Jeremiah:

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)

The Jewish people have hope for the future because of the faithfulness of God!

“HATIKVAH”: THE ANTHEM OF HOPE

The hope of the Jewish people is reflected in the lyrics of Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah”:

As long as deep in the heart,
The soul of a Jew yearns,
And forward to the east.
To Zion, an eye looks
Our hope will not be lost.
The hope of two thousand years
To be a free nation in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem

“Hatikvah” began its life as a nine-stanza Hebrew poem entitled “Tikvatenu” (“Our Hope”). Its author was a nineteenth-century Hebrew poet, Naftali Herz Imber (1856–1909), who was from eastern Europe. Inspired by the early Zionist movement, Imber wrote the poem in 1878 while still living in Europe.

Imber settled in Israel in 1882 when it was part of the Ottoman Empire. He worked as personal secretary and Hebrew tutor to Sir Laurence Oliphant (1829–1888), a British author, politician, world traveler, and Christian Zionist. Oliphant even launched various efforts to encourage Jewish resettlement in the historical Land of Israel.

Imber dedicated “Tikvatenu” to Oliphant. The poem became a song and was embraced by many early Jewish pioneers to Israel before the start of the modern Zionist movement in 1897.1

The anthem reminds us that hope has always been central to the Jewish story.

WHAT IS HOPE?

Hope, or tikvah in Hebrew, is more than a mere wish; it is a confident expectation tied to the promises of God, similar to its description in the New Testament (Hebrews 6:18–19). Tikvah carries rich meanings, including expectation, longing, and trust. Hope is more than a feeling; it is a lifeline. It is derived from a root word meaning “to bind together,” much like a rope that connects us to something secure.2

The same word appears in Joshua 2:18, where the scarlet rope (tikvah) hanging from Rahab’s window symbolized the hope of deliverance. Just as that rope represented salvation for Rahab and her family, hope connects us to God’s promises and secures our future.

Imagine that rope—God holds one end, and we hold the other. Life may pull us into pits of despair or storms of uncertainty, but this rope keeps us tethered to God’s faithfulness. We need to hold on to hope and remain fastened to God’s fidelity and His promises to the Jewish people.

OUR GLORIOUS HOPE

The prophet Isaiah describes this hope for a peace-filled world in chapter two of his prophetic book: 

And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:4b–5)

Our hopes for peace and a world without war and pain is anchored to this glorious promise—a future where peace and justice reign under God’s rule through the greater Son of David, Jesus the Messiah (1 John 3:2–3).

HOPE FOR TOMORROW IN ISRAEL TODAY

This cherished hope was yet again tested for the Jewish people on October 7, 2023, and continues to today.

It is heartbreaking to see Israeli families suffering from a lack of hope. Even if peace is somehow made with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other jihadist groups—and even if the threat from Iran is tempered—it is still a great challenge for families to enjoy any sense of normalcy after going through what Israel has endured for the past eighteen months.

Yet, we do see some sparkles of light through the ministry of Your Mission to the Jewish People in Israel today.

A couple of months ago, I met three new Israeli believers who came to faith within the last nine months, and we have an ongoing discipleship ministry to each of them. I met them at our Friday night monthly Sabbath outreach dinner at our current rented center in Tel Aviv!

We also launched a Facebook campaign called Psalms of Hope that has led to more than 4,000 Israelis downloading our modern Hebrew version of the Psalms. It has been exciting to see God working in this way.

More than 150,000 new immigrants entered Israel these last few years. Many of them speak either Russian or Ukrainian as their first language, and we continue to have the opportunity to present the good news to nearly 1,000 of these precious and hurting new Israelis. We provide practical and spiritual help, assist them in buying needed appliances, and other essentials for their new homes. We accompany them to state and medical institutions as many of our staff speak both Russian and Hebrew. In general, we play a crucial role in their integration into Israeli society. We organize Sabbath meals and Jewish holiday celebrations, family retreats, kids’ classes, practical seminars, Bible studies, and more.

We blessed more than 2,000 soldiers around Israel by providing personal hygiene products, flashlights, chargers, and other items. We organized barbecues with concerts on military bases for hundreds of soldiers. These are excellent opportunities to share our faith and demonstrate our commitment to supporting all members of Israeli society, including our brave soldiers. We work closely with the believing soldiers as well.

We also continue to assist evacuated families and Holocaust survivors from the north and south of Israel—especially in towns near the borders with Gaza and southern Lebanon—by providing practical and spiritual help and by organizing concerts and events.  

God’s work in Israel today gives us hope for tomorrow.

HOLDING ON TO HOPE

Hope is our lifeline, securing us to the promises of God. Like the scarlet rope in Rahab’s window, it signifies deliverance and a future filled with peace and joy. As we cling to this hope, we find comfort, direction, and the strength to live godly lives. Let us hold firmly to the rope of hope, knowing that God is faithful to fulfill every promise.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

  1. Erin Parfet, “Hatikvah,” Shalom Learning Center, May 31, 2024, https://shalomlc.org/dance-and-song/hatikvah. ↩︎
  2. William Lee Holladay and Ludwig Köhler, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: Based upon the Lexical Work of Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner, (Leiden: Brill, 2000), 394. ↩︎

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March 14, 2025 · 9:00 AM

How Then Should We Pray

Shalom in the wonderful name of our Messiah, Jesus! May I share some of my recent experiences in Israel? These days are dark and difficult for Israelis, and they need your prayers. 

I spent some days on the ground recently and still remember standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Israelis in Hostage Square, listening to ambassadors, military leaders, and the parents of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. The event was deeply painful. I recall one mother who began speaking calmly about her beautiful daughter held captive by Hamas terrorists. As she spoke to the crowd, her grief and rage overtook her, and she began screaming, leading the crowd in a desperate chant: “Bring them home. . . bring them home. . . bring them home NOW!” 

I tried to grasp their suffering, imagining how I would feel if my own children were taken by a group of violent, cruel, and apocalyptic murderers with no respect for human life, who abuse, torture, and use the hostages as pawns. My dear Christian friend, the thought alone is unbearable. Many of those taken hostage were so young, barely in their twenties, and all they did was attend a music festival or visit their parents at one of the Gaza border towns. When I think about the hostage deal, I think about these parents and the young people who did not deserve to be treated with such agonizing cruelty. 

The singular redeeming feature of this hostage deal is that some families have been or will be reunited with their loved ones. But the cost is staggering. The ratio of convicted mass murderers and criminals released from Israeli prisons to the few Israeli hostages freed is grossly unbalanced. In a sense, Israel was forced to mortgage her future for the sake of the present. Now, the future looks even darker as convicted terrorists will once again roam free and be able to strike again someday. How can we possibly weigh the life of a freed hostage against the lives that may be lost in the future at the hands of those released? 

The consequences of these impossible decisions will be felt for years to come. Every Israeli remembers that Yahya Sinwar was once just another prisoner like those who were released in this deal. Years ago, he was freed in a similar exchange—one that secured the release of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza. No one at the time could have foreseen that Sinwar would go on to mastermind the atrocities of October 7, 2023. Was the deal worth it? There is no consensus. For Shalit’s parents and family, the answer is clear—he came home. But if Israel had known then what it knows now, would its government have made the same decision? These are impossible choices.

A MORAL DILEMMA ROOTED IN JEWISH VALUES

This hostage deal, in many ways, reflects deep Jewish values. There is nothing more precious to a Jewish person than the life of a family member. Their safety and well-being are paramount. But it is impossible to fully judge the morality of these choices. We know our enemies are seizing control of the narrative and manipulating these events for their own purposes. Every Israeli now lives with an even more uncertain and dangerous future. Whether this deal was worth it will ultimately be determined by those who welcomed their sons and daughters home—and by those who, in the days to come, may lose their loved ones to future violence. Fairness and justice will remain elusive until the One True Judge rules among His chosen people.

PRAYING FOR ISRAEL AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE

Very few Israelis are turning to Jesus—the One who sees their suffering, who knows their pain more intimately than anyone. Jesus is not a stranger to betrayal, injustice, and grief. He weeps with His people. Let us pray that both secular and religious Israelis recognize the One who says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Pray especially for the families who live with the daily agony of loss. Pray for the children who have been scarred by what they have seen, for the soldiers who risk their lives every day, and for the leaders who make impossible decisions. Above all, pray that they come to know the One who gives life, who restores the brokenhearted, and who alone can bring the kind of peace that the world cannot offer. The world searches for political, military, and diplomatic solutions, but true peace is found only in the Messiah of Israel (Isaiah 9:6–7).

We must stand in the gap, interceding on their behalf so that, in their pain and searching, they may encounter the only One who can bring healing, comfort, and eternal hope.

Let us also remember those released from captivity in recent months. The first ones freed after being held by Hamas for more than 470 days were four young Israeli female soldiers. Now reunited with their families, they face the long journey of healing from the physical and psychological scars of their ordeal. We must also keep in our hearts and prayers any who remain in captivity by the time you receive this newsletter.

As we lift these precious individuals and their families in prayer, we must ask the Lord to comfort those mourning the loss of loved ones and provide strength for those awaiting the return of their family members. May they come to know the One who offers true peace and rest for their souls.

TAKE ACTION AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Besides praying for those Israelis suffering such pain and loss, we must also mobilize to oppose antisemitism. We cannot simply stand by. Let us take action. We will continue to hold rallies, speak to our government officials, and raise the banner of concern about antisemitism. 

Our new division of Chosen People Ministries, the Coalition Against Antisemitism (opposeantisemitism.com), is directly addressing the growth of global antisemitism by producing teachings, videos, and various resources you can use to better understand and counter antisemitism when you witness it, which is a Christian duty as I see it. After all, God said to Abram, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). 

The apostle Paul, himself a Jewish believer in Jesus, wrote to the Roman Christians expressing God’s heart of concern for His chosen people:

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. (Romans 15:26–27; emphasis added) 

What could be more critical today than caring for the physical, material, and spiritual well-being of the Jewish people? Your Mission to the Jewish People is doing all these things to serve the Jewish people worldwide, especially in Israel.

OUR NEW OUTREACH CENTER

We are also opening our new Tel Aviv center this month in time for the celebration of Passover when we will honor the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I am thankful for the generosity of our prayer partners and supporters, who enabled us to move into the new Center without any debt. Praise be to God for His provision. We are excited and believe the Lord will use this larger space powerfully for our outreach events. We are teaching Bible studies, holding concerts, comforting the grieving, and doing everything we can to bring the love of Jesus to Israel. Thank you for your prayers, your support, and for standing with us as we bring the message of Jesus the Messiah—the Prince of Peace—to Israelis and Jewish people around the globe.

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February 28, 2025 · 9:00 AM

Israel is Fighting for Her Life

My quick trip to Israel in January broke my heart. What I heard and saw moved me so much I can not help but try to explain what I saw and heard so that you can pray more effectively.

Pain and Loss

First, let me tell you I love my people, the Jewish people. I was raised in a Jewish home that was not particularly religious, but I still celebrated all the holidays. Jewish life and my Jewish people are very dear to me and always will be.

I grew up with pictures of relatives lost in the Holocaust lining the walls of my Eastern European immigrant grandparents’ Brooklyn home. I never fully understood the scope of the atrocities, and my grandparents never talked about it! Today I recognize there are dozens, if not hundreds, of my relatives on both sides of the family whom I will never meet because of the evil and satanic Nazi efforts to exterminate my people.

I will never get over the horrors of the Holocaust. For me it is a reminder of the depth of evil we face in our world and the capacity for humankind to be hateful and cruel. This drives me into the arms of our good, glorious, and worthy Savior. He loves His own people—the Jewish people—and all nations. Unlike those who take lives, He gave His life so we might live forever. Can the gospel be more beautiful than this? The prophet Isaiah expressed what Messiah did for all of us:

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:3–4)

The suffering of the Jewish people did not stop with the Holocaust. Israelis are fragile because of this terrible war that resulted from Hamas’ attacks on October 7, 2023, as well as the subsequent Hezbollah, Iranian, and Houthi missile barrages into Israeli territory. Israeli soldiers are dying every day—as are noncombatants in Gaza and other places where terror groups put their own people in harm’s way. So many in our world today do not remember how this gruesome conflict started, forgetting the atrocities Hamas unleashed on Israel on October 7. More than a thousand terrorists stormed the Gaza/Israel border to kill, rape, kidnap, and torture Israelis. Remembering this keeps what we read and watch about the conflict in perspective.

Israel is fighting for her very life!

My time in Israel was very emotional. I spent a late night in what is known as “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv. So many hostages are dead, and even though some returned alive, we still grieve over the hundreds of innocent Israelis and foreigners living in Israel who died at the hands of Hamas terrorists.

In Hostage Square, Israeli families—moms and dads, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts—were beside themselves with grief and rage, as they held up posters with pictures of their loved ones who either died or are still in captivity. You could sense the emotions and ongoing anger, which was about as raw and heartfelt as you could ever imagine. I listened to the agony and screams of one mother, who had just seen a video from Hamas of her daughter’s “proof of life,” hoping to see her daughter released. 

I stood in the vast crowd of Israelis with my heart broken because of the despair and mourning of my people, Israel. It reminded me of the passage in Jeremiah (who was also known as the weeping prophet), which was quoted by Matthew in the New Testament in the context of Herod’s efforts to murder the Messiah (Matthew 2:13–18).

Thus says the Lord, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” Thus says the Lord, “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord, “and they will return from the land of the enemy.” (Jeremiah 31:15–16)

I identify with the anguish of the prophet who reflected upon the captivity of his own people in Babylon and cried out to God for the return and release of his fellow Jewish people. I cannot tell you how much and how hard I pray for the return of today’s captive and for a true and lasting peace—which is different than a fragile truce.

Hope

And yet Jeremiah also speaks about hope as he called upon the people of Israel to trust in their God who had promised them a glorious future in the land of Israel. He also knew that our promise keeping God would one day wipe away their tears of His suffering covenant children.

What a beautiful promise and future hope He gave to the people He chose from among the nations. We see this partially fulfilled as right now about half (7.5 million) of the Jewish people in our world today live in Israel. The Lord promises a greater and more complete deliverance in the future. 

The day is coming when the Jewish people will not only return to the land, fulfilling the promises, but will also be delivered from sin and turn to Jesus (Romans 11:25–29). At that point, He will return and establish the Davidic throne in Jerusalem. He will reign as the true king of the Jewish people, Lord of the nations, and the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6–7).

We look forward to that great day and, quite frankly, I saw some sparkles in Israel of the anticipation of this great future in the eyes of many young people I met at our current Messianic center in Tel Aviv. At a Sabbath dinner I had the joy of preaching to seventy-five young adults about hope. Israelis desperately need hope today, and we know that Jesus is the embodiment of God’s promises offered to all, Jewish and Gentile, who call upon Him today (Romans 10:9–10). This is why it is so critical that we proclaim the message of salvation and thank God our staff in Israel is growing!

I was so encouraged by some of the young people I met, especially the new believers who had come to faith within the last year. Two of these young people came to believe through reading our book, Isaiah 53 Explained. I sat through dinner with a young woman who was only nine months in the Lord. She told me her story about how her life turned from darkness to the light.

During her search for God, someone gave her the Isaiah 53 Explained book in Hebrew. She read it and discovered a Jewish Messiah who had died for her sins, conquered death, and offered forgiveness and joy to her. And she described her experience with the most beautiful smile you have ever seen in your life. She told me that when she accepted Jesus into her life, she was completely transformed. Wow! This conversation was worth everything to me.

Just imagine what will happen through our incredible staff in Israel when we move into our new Tel Aviv center, which will be completed this month! 

And it is now paid for because of you.

Our Partnership

Dear friend, we cannot do any of this without your support and encouragement. I could sense your prayers while I was walking through the streets of a very busy and vibrant Tel Aviv witnessing the pain and anguish of my people at rallies and protests.

Yet, my sadness was tempered by the reality and joy of what faith in Jesus does for a person who gives their life to the Lord. This is what it is all about. It is what my life has been about, and it has been the purpose of Chosen People Ministries for more than 130 years. 

May God bless you for everything you have done to help us fulfill our ministry “to the Jew first” and also to the Gentile (Romans 1:16). 

As we prepare for Passover and Easter, remember to pray for Israel and for the millions of Jewish people all over the globe who need to understand that these two holidays are linked together in the person of Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the One who rose from the dead to conquer death and ultimately reign as King.

My heart is bursting with love for my people and gratitude for you and our partnership in reaching Jewish people for Jesus.

God bless you and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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